Bruton Parish to Reinter Remains of Enslaved Africans at Kingsmill
Bruton Parish in Williamsburg, Virginia, will hold a special worship and burial service on November 2 to reinter the remains and burial objects of enslaved Africans. The remains were excavated from sites in James City County and had been held…
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, October 29, 2026 —
Bruton Parish in Williamsburg, Virginia, is scheduled to hold a special worship and burial service on November 2 to reinter the remains and burial objects of enslaved Africans. The service will take place at the Utopia site at Kingsmill.
The remains were excavated from sites in James City County and had been held at the Smithsonian Institution for decades, according to the information provided about the planned service. The summary does not specify when the excavation took place, how many people the remains represent, or when they were transferred from the Smithsonian.
The reinterment is planned as part of a worship and burial service. It will also mark the conclusion of the Diocese of Southern Virginia’s 49-day commemoration, titled “The Long Way Home: A Season of Reckoning.” No further details about the events included in the commemoration were provided.
The information available does not state the year of the November 2 service, identify individuals involved in organizing or leading it, or provide details about the burial objects. It also does not describe the process by which the remains were identified or the decisions that led to their reinterment at Kingsmill.
The stated location, Utopia site at Kingsmill, is the site of the planned service and reinterment. Bruton Parish is identified as the congregation holding the service, while the Diocese of Southern Virginia is identified as the organizer of the 49-day commemoration. No additional statements or quotations were provided.
Story summarized from the original created by WYDaily Staff on wydaily.com, see more information here.
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